A little privacy please!

I was trying to have a quiet, peaceful bath and I get this

Can I never be alone?? Usually, its one or both of the cats sitting on the side trying to understand why I'm submerged in water. This time Simon got in and was stressing because 5 minutes had passed without him getting any attention. Don't worry, I don't take my camera in the bath. I was listening to music on my phone and it has a camera too!

Cats

I came across this blog today We Three Cats. Too cute!

Here are my furry cat babies

They don't have any exciting tales to tell like the ginger cats though. This is about all they do.

Present.

Today Brian and the girls went to look at a community garage sale near by and came back with this

I love it. For now its just a nice decorative piece but Brian's Uncle collects and restores these old machines so we are going to get him to look at it and maybe I'll be able to use it. I'm happy with it either way.

I'm done!

Well, I'm having a bit of a crappy week. I feel old, like its too late to do all the things I want to do (I'm not as old as I feel which is bad, I shouldn't feel this old). I feel fat and listless and bored and fed up. Life has decided to kick our butts this week. There has been lots of unpleasantness for my husband (thanks ungrateful stepson) which he has had to deal with on top school work and stress at work which in turn worries me. There has been disappointment for our 17yr old (and therefore us), indecision (to home school or not) and just general annoyances making life more difficult than it has to be. So I console myself while writing this with homemade (rather brilliantly homemade) choc chip cookies and milk. With all the horrible stuff that has been going on I don't have much of great interest to report. But there are much worse things that could be troubling us and its a beautiful day, we all have our health (and lots, lots more) and tomorrow is another day! Anyway, who could be unhappy with this guy around.....

Too Quiet!

Its always the same when the kids go away. Before they leave I think I'm going to enjoy the time alone. I do enjoy it but then it starts to feel too quiet. I get lonely. I have nothing to do. No, thats not it, I mean I have plenty to do to keep me busy. I'm not someone who is lost without children to look after and really they do most things for themselves but it would seem that I miss their company and having people around me. Going from being single, living alone and only having myself to think of to suddenly having a large instant family was really challenging. I guess I still think it should be challenging and that I need a break now and again because I felt that way for a long time. But I think the reality is that its ok now. No more challenging than parenting is for anyone else. I can do it. I'm used to it and I quite enjoy it! I look forward to them getting home and life going back to normal. I am going to make the most of the few quiet days I have left but I won't be dispppointed when they are over.


What have I been doing? Research (and knitting and eating and watching movies). Why? Well, this summer we decided that the two girls would be homeschooled next school year..by me. Eeek! I'm really looking forward it and have some really good curriculums that I'm looking at trying. Its a bit daunting though. There is so much to choose from. Our 17 year old is starting a program at Community College and our 12yr old does very well at school and wants to stay so its just the two girls. They are really excited about it too. The best bit...lots of shopping coming up. Books, curriculum items and best of all SCHOOL SUPPLIES. I love school supplies. Notebooks, pens, highlighters, more pens. Oh joy!

*The picture is of a kit that can be bought at Educational Products Inc

Hurrah!

Friday night - watched Zulu with hubby. Great film. Then a bath and then the last episode of Doctor Who in my pjs with trifle and a cup of tea.

Saturday - Lazy day around house then off to the movies (alone with hubby, no kids) to see The Dark Knight. Very good but too long and too much happening. Taco Bell for dinner in the car on the way home (we know how to live).

Sunday - getting kids ready for Scout Camp (boy) and a visit to their mothers (2 girls) and then Monday.........the start of a virtually kid free week. Don't get me wrong, I love them but a break is nice. 17 yr old will be still be home but he has some college stuff to do and otherwise rarely leaves his room so it will feel like being kid free. Its been a really good weekend and the rest of the week is loking good too. So before the girls leave in the morning they can help clean the house (they love to help) then its relaxation time. Aaah! I don't have to watch kids TV for a week. I don't have to cook for 6 for a week! I don't think I'll cook much at all. It will just be me and Simon most of the time.....
We're very lazy!!!!!!

Weekend!

During the week we took the kids raspberry picking. It was a lot of fun. We got loads of berries. Some have been made into trifle, LOTS have been eaten and we have frozen several pounds for later. Brian is back there with the two girls today to get more. It was really nice being out in the sun, amongst the berry bushes and eating warm fresh berries straight of the vine. Yum!

Today I went shopping for snacks and last minutes supplies for our 12 year old to take to Scout Camp. Having tons of snacks is half the fun apparantly. He leaves early on Monday morning. The next couple of weeks we will have kids coming and going with camp and visits to their mother. Its funny the difference having one kid gone makes to life around here. You wouldn't think just one being gone would be a big deal but it is. I guess its one less person fighting and arguing with siblings!

Last night a bunch of houses in our street were egged. So this morning 17yr old was out with the scrubbing brush and hose cleaning it off. He's a good boy. Its very annoying and seems to be happening a lot in our town recently. Last night was our streets turn! I assume its teenagers or kids (I'm sure its possible its not and if its adults its even more disturbing) and I have wonder where their parents think they are. We weren't in bed until after 11pm and would have heard if had happened before then. Oh well. There are worse things that could happen.

I'm not sure what we are doing for the rest of the weekend but its nice we don't have to do anything. We can do what want or do nothing. Relaxing.